


The Sanctuary

by Uthizaar



Series: The Winter Series [7]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alaskan Malamutes, Awkward Flirting, Baking, Blizzards & Snowstorms, COVID-19, Cabin Fic, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Comfort Food, Friendly Theo Raeken, Friendship, Hot Tub, Howling, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Masks, Pandemics, Parascientist Theo Raeken, Post-Series, Severe Winter Weather, Snow, Supernatural Immunity, Talkative dogs, Wealthy Theo Raeken, social distancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:47:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28224141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uthizaar/pseuds/Uthizaar
Summary: After leaving behind the events of his former life in Beacon Hills, Theo Raeken has made a new home for himself among the unassuming inhabitants of Platinum Peak. As the Christmas holiday approaches, Theo invites his two best friends to join him in his cabin perched on the slopes of the mountain, both of whom themselves are eager to get away from the ravages of a spiraling pandemic, if only for a while.
Relationships: Jordan Parrish & Theo Raeken & Deputy Strauss, Jordan Parrish/Deputy Strauss
Series: The Winter Series [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/595180
Comments: 19
Kudos: 3





	1. The Chimera at the Edge of the World

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Christmas themed cabin fic featuring Theo, Parrish, Strauss, and Rascal the Alaskan Malamute! It is set in the present (2020), but is to be a story of comfort, fluff, and good times. There is some suggestive language, but no actual smut in this story.
> 
> I'll be updating this story daily this week, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy it!

The sun climbed higher in the azure blue sky, reflecting brightly off the pristine snow that clad the long, steep slopes of the mountain. The valley lay before him shrouded in late morning mist with only a few twinkling lights visible beneath the pale grey clouds. Theo raised his cup to his lips again, taking a final sip as he drained the last of the coffee, feeling the heat bloom inside his throat and spread out across his chest. He reached up to wipe away the condensation his breath caused against the glass pane of the tall, floor-to-ceiling window that gave him unparalleled views over Regent’s Pass and the soaring beauty of Mount Regent to his left, the snow-covered dome of Mount Forester was lost in the rolling mist to his right.

“Rrrr! Wrrr!”

“I hear ya.” Theo muttered as the growl came from behind him, near to the fireplace. “We’ll leave in a minute.”

“Wrrrrr.”

“Well, you’re going to have to come.”

“Rrrr!”

“Rascal, I just brought you out for a four mile hike.” Theo sighed and turned around to address his three year old Alaskan Malamute. “You can sleep in the car and when we get home, I’m sure the others will play with you.”

“Rar.” Rascal huffed and slumped down, stretching his head out so it rested on the flagstones in front of the open fire. The embers from last night’s fire were still hot enough that they glowed orange against the charcoal. “Huff.”

“Hmm, good.” Theo nodded and turned away from the view, walking instead towards the kitchen to rinse out his cup. It would have been dark except for the light filtering in from the south facing windows: two set into the wall on either side of the thick stone chimney, two more higher up near the fifteen foot long rafters that crossed from one side to the other supporting the roof. Several abstract paintings occupied the bare patches of the walls, bringing more life and warmth into the room. 

The guest bedroom was in the mezzanine above the kitchen, accessed by a wooden staircase next to the east facing window. The heat from the fire rose upwards and turned the space into a cozy spot where Theo sometimes did his writing or hosted video calls. It was also host to several more prints, this time of various hunting scenes and a few of summertime; including a tasteful watercolor of naked youths playing in a river.

His own bedroom and those of the bathroom, pantry, and utility rooms were further back in the cabin, secured away behind a heavy wooden door that kept the warmth in the central living area during the deep freeze of the winter months. Rascal typically slept in front of the fire on a large sheepskin rug that spread out between the two couches and the coffee table made from old wooden railway sleepers. It was ideally placed to allow the dog to keep an eye on any food Theo placed on the shin-high table or for him to rest his head on while guests were over, Rascal always seeming to follow the conversation regardless of the topic. 

“C’mon!” Theo whistled as he walked over to the front door and sat down on the heavy trunk next to the small window. He nodded as Rascal jumped up and trotted over to him. “Hang on and let me get my boots on again. It’s cold out, but I bet you like that, huh? Haha, yeah, good dog!”

“Rrr!” Rascal stretched luxuriously, his front paws reaching out to collide with Theo’s socks.

“Uh huh, eager to go, huh?” Theo smiled and petted the Malamute’s thick coat. “Ok, ok, I’ll hurry up. It’s going to start snowing out there again.” He pulled on his boots and quickly laced them up before standing and reaching for his coat and gloves. Theo hesitated and then took out a set of disposable masks and stuffed them into his coat pockets. “Ok! Let’s go!”

He pulled open the door and Rascal shot out as a wave of icy air washed over him. “Hmm, don’t go far.” Theo grumbled as he took the keys from their hook on the wall and then stepped outside, pulling the door closed behind him. More snow had fallen the night before and was now nearly waist deep beyond the path he had cleared between the front door and the covered lean-to where he kept his truck. 

Rascal had dashed out into the field beyond the track across from the cabin, the Malamute running around and bounding in and out of the snow drifts, the essence of unrestrained joy. Theo smiled to himself as he stored his coat and gloves in the back of the truck, and then slipped into the driver’s seat to start the engine and begun to defrost the windshield, the heating building up to a deafening roar like that of a fighter jet. Theo climbed out again and walked around the truck, making sure that the thick tires were properly inflated, the excess snow had been scraped off, and that everything was ready. 

He paused to pull out his phone when he felt it vibrate against his thigh. “Hmm, Rascal? C’mere!” Theo called out as Rascal made a dash towards the start of the slope that led up to the sharp flanks of Platinum Peak, the frosted mountain rising starkly against the blue sky behind the cabin. “Good dog, that’s such a _good_ dog! They’ve just crossed the border now, pup, so they should be here in about two hours. It’ll probably take us that long just to get to the airport in this weather.”

"Rrr!" Rascal regarded Theo with a happy expression as his owner brushed snow from his coat and then walked over to the truck, glancing back at Theo expectantly.

“Yeah, hang on.” Theo locked the phone and slid it back into his pants, pulling the zip across the pocket before he went over and opened the passenger side door. “Hup!” He called out, Rascal jumping up and managing to get into the footwell after a helping hand from Theo. “Good dog! Stay there now, I’m coming around.” 

A sudden shadow overhead caused Theo to look up, seeing that clouds had rushed in from Platinum Peak to obscure the sun, abrupt changes in weather were a common occurrence in these parts, but Theo still grumbled wordlessly to himself. A moment later, he had secured himself in the truck, Rascal content to sit on the passenger seat, his considerable size allowing him to look outside the window without too much trouble.

The Tacoma was able to handle the deep snow with little bother and soon Theo and Rascal were driving down the track that led from his cabin, the last on the dirt road, back towards Platinum Gorge, the village nestled in the foothills of the soaring mountain range. It was slow going however, the monstrous 4x4 crashing through frozen potholes and pulling itself out of sudden snowdrifts that had collapsed onto the road. There were bright orange markers of about seven feet high set along the edge of the track to mark where the road ended, and the treacherous ditch began. Theo reached down and lowered the internal fans, before turning on the radio station. He twiddled the dial over to the twenty-four hour Christmas music channel and nodded along as Wizzard’s _I Wish it could be Christmas Every Day_ began playing.

After fifteen minutes, he turned off the dirt road and onto the asphalt of the main road leading into town. This surface was a lot smoother and the town council ensured that the snow ploughs came through every morning and evening, salting the road in the process. Platinum Gorge was quiet as Theo drove through it, the noonday sun reflecting off the snow-covered roofs and contrasting pleasantly with the bright lights of the festive decorations. Christmas trees were everywhere, with the village center sporting the largest for miles around. Small stalls and booths had been set up around the tree, selling everything from local produce to souvenirs to candy and hot chocolate.

Theo smiled as he passed, slowing down when he saw Mayor Denis at the entrance of the small community center, supervising mask wearing volunteers as they sorted out contributions to the holiday drive. He raised a hand and the man waved back, coming over to talk to him when Theo rolled to a stop, his hazard lights flashing. Theo lowered the window even as the man kept back the required six feet. “Good afternoon, Mayor.”

“Afternoon, Theo,” The man replied, the edges of his mask pulling to one side as he smiled behind it. “And hello, Rascal!”

“Rrr!” Rascal got up and squeezed in next to Theo in order to poke his head out to window, his tail wagging. “Wooo!”

“Haha, I’m afraid I can’t come any closer, pup!”

“How are the numbers today?” Theo asked as he took hold of Rascal’s collar to hold the eager dog back. “Any changes?”

“Thank god we’ve been lucky so far, Doc Mitchel thinks we could have a cluster next week though with the out of towners coming in for the holidays.” Denis sighed. “Good for business, but…”

“I know, it’s a hard balance.” Theo replied. “I’m actually off to pick up friends from out of state, but don’t worry, they’ve been careful, and you know I’ll enforce the health protection standards.”

“Oh, I know, Theo. There’s been no community cases thanks to your management of the council’s action plan. I knew that having a man with your scientific background would be the right decision.” Denis smiled again and then gestured over his shoulder. “Well, I better get back to it, we’ll be running these supplies over to the shelter in Regent’s Pass this afternoon.”

“Ok, take care, Mayor.” Theo smiled and closed his window, pushing Rascal back into the passenger seat. He smirked when the Malamute woo-woo’d at him. “Yeah, yeah, save it for Parrish and Strauss.”

The journey to the airport was less arduous once they reached the freeway and were able to go faster. There was a lot of traffic going both ways, but no hold-ups and Theo was able to enjoy the drive. He hummed along to the Christmas songs on the radio, occasionally breaking into verse to sing along with the ones he really liked. Rascal watched the passing cars with interest, now secured with a dog belt to stop him from moving around given how fast they were travelling. 

The airport was on the other side of Regent’s Pass, about fifteen miles outside the city, along the frozen river at the only flat piece of land in the region. Even still, the runway was a lot shorter than at most airports, with planes beginning their approach for landing some five hundred meters from the actual tarmac. Theo instinctively ducked when he saw a plane fly low over the freeway, barely clearing the perimeter fence. “Woah!”

“Rrrr!”

“I know! That was close, huh?” Theo reached over to pat Rascal affectionately as the dog turned to look out the sunroof. He continued driving until he saw the signpost for the airport arrivals terminal. “Nearly there.”

There was a collection of various service buildings on the road leading in, buttressed by an expansive industrial estate making use of the air connection in the otherwise remote region. Closer to the terminal itself were a few hotels and a rather seedy looking strip mall with a full parking lot. Theo frowned to himself when he saw the crowds of people clustered together at the edge of the crosswalk, waiting to get across the street, barely a mask amongst them. Despite his personal immunity to the virus, he still shuddered, unused to witnessing the great tide of humanity as it surged across the intersection, mingling and mixing together. 

After another few minutes of stop-start driving, Theo pulled into the temporary parking lot and killed the engine. He checked his phone, nodding along as Jordan updated him on their progress. “Hmm, looks like my earlier estimate was off, Rascal, they landed twenty minutes ago. But there’s delays with baggage handling, so…ok. I’ll get out first. You! Stay here.” Theo pointed sternly at the dog and Rascal huffed at him, sitting up and pushing against the seat belt.

Theo stepped outside and opened the rear passenger door to grab his coat and gloves, putting both on and then his mask. Moving around to the trunk, Theo pulled out the “Support Dog” harness and vest that he used to bring Rascal into buildings that would not normally allow pets. The Malamute stayed still when he saw the vest, responding to Theo’s training. Once they were both set up, Theo locked the truck and wrapped the lead around his wrist, Rascal staying by his side as they walked towards the terminal.

He frowned when he noticed that people were exited out of the door clearly marked ENTRANCE ONLY and grumbled under his breath as he pushed his way through the throngs into the wide concourse. Theo jerked Rascal’s lead and headed towards the big multi-screens that announced the arrivals, his eyes scanning the board to find his friends’ flight. “Hmm, well, they’ve landed of course, but no indication of where they’ll be coming from. Let’s take a look near the security barrier.” He walked over to where other people were gathered in groups or alone, all looking towards the double doors past a line of metal detectors and security guards. It was clear that they were waiting on friends or family members, some with signs, others bundled up in brightly colored hats and scarfs.

“Sit. Wait.” Theo nodded at Rascal and the Malamute sat down, his head constantly moving this way and that as he watched people coming and going. Several people passed by, some of them looking at Theo and then at the dog, as though seeking permission to pat Rascal. “Sure, he’s very friendly.” Theo smiled as one little girl came over and offered her hand to Rascal, the Malamute sniffing it and then licking her palm. The girl giggled and ran away as her parents shared a friendly smile with Theo. “Oh, hang on, Rascal.” Theo muttered as the doors opened and a fresh group of mostly masked individuals emerged. He scanned the faces, remembering that Aaron said they would be wearing masks embroidered with the Beacon County Sheriff’s Department logo. “Ah! There they are!” He exclaimed when his sharp eyes caught the gold and black shield. 

But it seemed he need not have bothered to seek them out as Aaron pointed directly at Rascal and Jordan waved excitedly at Theo. He waited until they cleared the barriers and then waved back at them. “Hey, guys! Over here!”

“Haha, hey, Theo!” Jordan reached him first and enveloped him in a crushing one-armed hug. “Great to see you!”

“And you!” Theo grinned, turning to greet Aaron as Jordan’s boyfriend petted Rascal’s head affectionately. “So good to see you both! Uh, but why don’t we get out of here? I feel like I need a chemical shower just being in this airflow!”

“Hah, and you’re not even affected, Theo.” Aaron laughed and then nodded. “But yeah, I will be happy to get some fresh air, the flight was horrendous.”

“Oh no.”

“Oh, yes,” Jordan pulled their luggage behind him as Theo gestured for them to leave. “Delays on the runway because someone wanted to come on without a mask; I’m just glad we didn’t have to intervene. Everyone crowded into that tin can, breathing recycled air, yuck!”

“Nasty!” Theo muttered and walked out the correct exit, pointing to the parking lot beyond the set-down area. “I parked over there, things are pretty chaotic here as you’d expect on the day before Christmas Eve.”

“Ah, no problem.” Aaron adjusted the strap of his rucksack and walked beside him and Rascal. “Like I said, just glad to get some clear air.”

“Wait until you get into the mountains, that’s some really clear air!” Theo grinned in response. They walked in silence until reaching the truck and Theo gestured at the free space in the trunk before pulling down the flap. “You can put your luggage in there and I’ll cover it in a tarp, unless there’s any temperature sensitive equipment?”

“Uh, I have my laptop, so I’ll keep that with me.” Jordan replied as he hoisted up their suitcases and pushed them into the back. “Thanks.”

“Here.” Aaron handed him his rucksack and paused to pull out a smaller bag which he kept with him. “Hey, Theo, are you expecting more snow? It was pretty mild when we left Beacon Hills earlier.”

“Uh, yeah, there’s more forecast for today and tomorrow, it’s expected to get windy too, so you’re arriving at the right time.” Theo replied, darting around to the driver’s side to pull out hand sanitizer and wipes. “Here, take these, wipe down your hands, gloves, boots. I know you’re good, Jordan, but I don’t want you to take any chances, Aaron.”

“Thanks for looking out for me, Theo.” Aaron smirked and squirted a generous amount of the strong smelling gel onto his hands. “How has it been for your area? We’ve had more than a few clusters, the Sheriff’s not happy about it.”

“We’ve been lucky, only a few cases and those are mostly from out-of-towners.” Theo answered as Aaron and Jordan unzipped their overcoats. “Which is a relief, of course, but also, it means that once we get home, you don’t have to think about the pandemic for a few days at least!”

“Too true!” Jordan grinned and opened the front passenger door, preparing to climb inside. He paused when Rascal stared at him with an affronted expression. “Um…Theo?”

“Oh, um, do you mind sitting in the back?”

“No, I guess not.” Jordan stepped back and allowed the Malamute to hop up on the seat, Rascal seeming to grin at him. “Uh, you’re welcome?”

“Woo woo!”

“You’ll get used to how vocal he is.” Theo chuckled when Aaron and Jordan looked at each other and burst out laughing. “It’s great actually, although, the morning howling is a hell of a wakeup call.”

“Does he need a lot of exercise?”

“Yeah, walks twice a day,” Theo replied as he backed out of the parking space and joined the queue of cars trying to escape the crowded airport. “I brought him out earlier and if there’s still light when we get back, we can go for a quick walk. But he’s super-energetic in the mornings, loves to dig holes-”

“Dig holes?” Jordan asked in confusion. “Is that a thing they do?”

“Yep, that and they have a high prey instinct, you know, likes to hunt.” Theo explained, frowning until he was able to get out onto the one-way street that would bring them back to the highway. “But Malamutes are ideal for the snow and they’re our official state dog, so you see a fair number of them around.”

“How was traffic on your way in?” Aaron asked as they were stopped yet again near the interchange. “This bad?”

“Yeah, I was waiting in a line for about fifteen minutes, inching forward.” Theo replied, gesturing at the radio. “Some music while we wait?”

“Sure.” 

Over an hour later, they were turning off the freeway onto the country roads that led towards the small town of Platinum Gorge, the sun setting behind the mountains that surrounded them on three sides. There was an abundance of conifers covering the slopes before the gradient grew too steep and the perfect sheets of snow were uninterrupted up to the bare rock of the mountain. Theo drove slower than he normally would, giving his friends time to appreciate the majesty of the valley and the vistas around them. 

He pulled into the Target at the edge of the town, the vast parking lot outside was only a quarter full, with the locals doing their shopping ahead of the holiday and forecasted bad weather. Theo glanced in his rear view mirror, “I just have a few groceries to pick up, I deliberately didn’t do any extra shopping until I was sure you were coming.”

“Yeah, that’s cool. Do you want us to wait here?”

“Uh, I’d appreciate the extra pair of hands, Jordan.” Theo replied as Rascal stood up and stretched on the seat, now eye-to-eye with Theo. “But, um, could you bring Rascal for a bit of a walk, Aaron? I don’t think we’ll have enough daylight left when we get back to the cabin.”

“Oh, sure, no problem!” He replied excitedly and opened the door. “Brr! It’s much colder here! Hey, should I wear my mask?”

“I think you’ll be ok since you’re outside, but maybe bring it in your pocket just in case.” Theo replied as he gestured for Aaron to come around and take the lead for Rascal. “He’ll walk beside you and he knows how to sit, how to wait, how to go. Those three commands should be enough. Come back in about, uh, twenty minutes. Are you sure you’ll be ok with him?”

“It’s ok, I’m used to handling hounds!”

“Hey!” Jordan looked up sharply from zipping up his coat and glared at his boyfriend.

“What?” Aaron shrugged innocently and then gestured at Rascal. “C’mon, good boy! Let’s go for walkies!”

“I swear to god: every possible innuendo, all the damn time!” Jordan muttered darkly under his breath before joining Theo, and the duo set off into the store, both pulling their masks over their faces. “So, do you have a lot to get?”

“Uh, I have most of the basics,” Theo explained, pausing to exchange season’s greetings with Maire, Rascal’s vet. “Sorry, uh, yeah, I keep a stock of flour, sugar, cereals, dry goods, that sort of thing. But we need milk, butter, snack foods, plus anything else you guys like to eat.”

“What about Christmas Day dinner?”

“My friend Amy is giving us one of her turkeys-she raises them further down the valley.” Theo waved at Parson Richards and his wife across the trolley bay and then glanced at Jordan. “I’m also getting a roast ham from Old Mick-he lives at the lodge just down the road from me, has a herd of pigs he grazes on the mountain during the summer.”

“You sure know a lot of people, Theo.” Jordan seemed to be smiling at him and his eyes were twinkling pleasantly. “I’m happy that you’ve found a home like this.”

“Yeah, Beacon Hills was _not_ the place for me.” Theo nodded swiftly. “Ok, do you want to get candy first?”

“Sure, Aaron has a killer sweet tooth, haha.” Jordan stopped in front of the shelf and started taking boxes of variety packs of chocolate and candy before dumping them into the trolley. “Uh, he’s been on a crazy fudge kick lately, so-”

“Oh, I can make that tomorrow.” Theo said, returning to the trolley with an armful of different chips and dips. He smiled at Jordan’s surprise and shrugged. “I found a hidden talent for baking this year: I’m actually pretty good at it. You’ll see when we get home, I made a batch of crinkle cookies for you.”

“Alright, I’m liking this version of you even better now that I know you can cook!” Jordan patted his shoulder and they walked on. “Uh, it might be a strange question, considering, but do you have booze at home? Aaron likes the occasional beer and it’s the holidays, so…”

“Uh, I probably don’t have the brand he likes.” Theo replied as he collected butter, juice, and milk from the refrigerated section. “But I have a nice single malt and a couple of other spirits, some port, a few crates of wine I picked up during the summer.”

“Why?” Jordan asked slowly, his expression slipping into confusion.

“Ah, something I’ve been working on.” Theo winked at him and tapped the side of his nose conspiratorially. “More on that later.”

“Uh huh, I hope so, because we have questions, lots of questions, about everything!” Jordan replied and then sighed. “I’ll get the beer.”

“Hey Florence!” Theo called out as Jordan disappeared down another aisle. The elderly woman opposite him turned around and waved cheerily at him, keeping her distance. “How are you? I haven’t seen you since the parish social two weeks ago.”

“Oh, you know, muddling through!” She threw up her hands. “But I see you have a gentleman caller, Theo, haha!”

“Oh, now, now, it’s not like that. He’s here with his partner.” Theo replied, leaning on his trolley. “I meant to say to you, Florence, I could do with another dozen eggs, what with the visitors and everything.”

“Of course, yes, I’ll send them down to Diego’s tomorrow morning.” Florence replied, reaching into her handbag to take out her phone and make a note. “And don’t start that nonsense about paying me, Theo.”

“It’s only fair.”

“If you hadn’t scared off that bear last spring, I don’t know where I’d be.” She pointed directly at him and shook her head. “No, I do know, Parson Richards would have buried me next to my late husband and we’d be chuckling about it upstairs! So, you’ll have eggs for life! Well, as long as I’m still kicking, haha!”

“Haha, alright, Florence, I’ll swing by Diego’s tomorrow morning and pick them up.” Theo nodded as Jordan came back, a box of beer under his arm. “I have to go and collect Ophelia’s cheese wheels she’s put aside for me and Edgar’s fizzy pop, so, your eggs will be in good company.” 

“I better go before my grandson and his family arrive for the holidays.” She pushed her cart away from them. “Happy Christmas Theo! And you too, you _strapping_ young man!”

“Err, who was that?” Jordan asked as he placed the beer into the trolley.

“Oh, just another neighbor of mine, I helped her out a while back.” Theo said as he glanced over the contents of their cart. “Uh, ok, I think that’s it!”

Fifteen minutes later, Theo and Jordan made their way across the parking lot with ease as snow began to fall thickly around them. The noise of the traffic beyond the store was muffled and Theo took a moment to roll his head back and just stare up at the snow as it drifted down, enjoying the hypnotic movement of the flakes. 

“Rrrr rrrip!” 

“Ah, Rascal!” Theo grinned and hurried over to the truck when he heard his dog’s excited bark and spared a hand to rub the Malamute’s fluffy coat. “How are you, boy?! Did you get a good walk?”

“Rrr!”

“Uh, yeah, I took him around the village center, stopped in front of the big Christmas tree they have there.” Aaron said as he helped Jordan with the shopping. “Everyone knows you, Theo, well, they know Rascal! The two local cops thought I might have puppynapped him until I explained, haha, and even the mayor came over to say hello to him.”

“I’m totally convinced that Theo knows everyone by name in this town.” Jordan laughed and straightened up as he finished storing the beer. “Do they have any idea of who you really are?”

“Were.” Theo replied quickly, rounding the front of the truck as Rascal hopped back into the passenger seat. Once he was in the Tacoma and everyone else was belted in, Theo continued speaking. “I’m not that person anymore, even if I do, uh, consult from time to time.”

“Consult?” Aaron echoed slowly as though the word was completely foreign to him.

“Who are you consulting for?” Jordan followed up as Theo drove through the town towards the road that led up into the mountains proper. “Who employs the services of a former Dread Doctor?”

“Err, no one you’ve heard of.”

“Uh huh.” Jordan grunted, clearly unconvinced.

“Ok, fine, look, I occasionally host seminars on supernatural bio-engineering for the Parascience Guild of America.” Theo replied, seeing the arched brows of the two cops behind him. “What? It’s a real thing, we have a convention and everything!”


	2. A Villain by Any Other Name

Darkness draped over the mountains as Theo’s truck climbed the frozen track leading to his cabin, the tires digging in and maintaining their purchase on the treacherous surface. The going was slow, a thick flurry of snow falling in the headlights and high beams of the Tacoma, the pine trees on either side of the trail had pressed in ominously at first but were receding now. The road opened up little by little, the bright, reflective orange markers at the edge of the trail allowing him to keep the truck on the safe path.

As they climbed higher and higher, the glow from the lights of Platinum Gorge disappeared in the rear-view mirror. Only the occasional spill of illumination from the other cabins they passed provided fleeting comfort. “Nearly there now,” Theo called out as they crawled past Old Mick’s lodge, candles burning bright in the windows. “Keep looking to your left, you should see it soon enough, I have timers on the external lights.”

“Good, I can barely see a thing in this snowstorm.” Aaron muttered. “You really are as far from everyone as you said.”

“That’s not just by design,” Theo replied, shifting down to a lower gear as he encountered a drift of powdery snow. “There’s not many places you’re allowed to build up here. There was a cabin on the property when I bought it, some half-rotten wooden shack that I wouldn’t leave a dog in.”

“Rrr!”

“Yes, exactly!” Theo grinned at Rascal as the Malamute sat upright on the seat, straining at the belt keeping him secure. “We’re nearly home, pup. But, uh, as I was saying: I had the original cabin torn down that spring and we spent the summer building the new one.”

“We saw the photos, you got this thing all tricked out.” Jordan said, nodding at him. “Self-sustainable, right?”

“Yeah, solar collectors on the roof for hot water, there’s a wind turbine at the end of the garden for electricity with batteries in the utility closet. That’s doubly important since we can get cut off any time there’s a bad storm or rockfall, avalanche, mudslide, the usual perils.”

“Usual.” Aaron echoed dully. “Uh, your mountain lair got any other secrets?”

“We’re still connected to the grid, but I have a reverse osmosis system installed for water collection and purification.” Theo answered, glancing in the mirror. “You wouldn’t believe how often the pipes freeze up here. Ah, but we have arrived.” He pulled off the trail as it dwindled down into a path fit only for walking, turning the truck around in the snow-covered yard. It was as high as the upper part of the wheel arch now, several more feet having fallen since he left that morning, the tires cutting a path through the drift. He backed up and reversed the truck into the covered parking space. Theo turned off the engine and reached over to unbuckle Rascal’s belt, before opening the passenger side door and letting the excited dog out. “Haha, go play around for a while!”

“You ready?” Jordan asked Aaron as he pulled on his gloves and placed a hand on the door. 

“Yeah, I want to see this cabin!”

“C’mon, then.” Theo replied, stepping into the swirling snow and freezing temperatures. He gestured towards the cabin which was illuminated by circular lights situated at intervals at the top of the walls, their warm yellow-white beams pointing downwards. Unlike many of the other cabins in the region which were made of rustic logs, Theo’s cabin was constructed with striking walls of a stone-grey timber which camouflaged it well among the snow. There was additional light coming from the windows and he pointed towards the covered porch which kept the main door free from snowfall, even if some small drifts had built up around it. 

The slope of Platinum Peak rose steeply behind the cabin’s northern gable, in places looking as though the building had been placed deliberately against the rock. Aaron pointed at it with a gloved finger and then looked to Theo. “You’re pretty close to the mountain here, I’m guessing you don’t really have a back door?”

“No, not exactly.” Theo fiddled with his keys, pausing to take off a glove as Jordan went back for their luggage. “There’s a deck that juts out over the drop on the other side of the cabin, it’s built around this natural depression that I’ve turned into a hot tub. Although it serves just as well as an infinity pool in the summer.”

“Wow! Awesome! I gotta try that out!” Aaron nudged him playfully. “Although I didn’t bring any swimming trunks, haha.”

“I’ll lend you a pair.” Theo finally pushed open the door and gestured for him to enter. “Go on in, I’ll go back and help Jordan with the groceries.”

“Nice! Uh, where’s the bathroom?”

“Go through the door there and straight down the hallway, it’s the second door on your right.” Theo replied and stepped back into the snowstorm.

Fifteen minutes later, once all their luggage and bags had been brought in, Theo raked the embers of the fire in the large fireplace, laying more wood on top and coaxing the flames back. Then he busied himself with making coffee and preparing them a snack. He had shown Jordan and Aaron to their room: the mezzanine above the kitchen and living room. The space was surrounded by sloping wooden ceilings and cheerfully decorated bookshelves covered in tinsel and holiday ornaments. Their contents were not the usual fare for spare bedrooms; journals and books on parascience and the supernatural instead of forgotten gifts and stacks of newspapers. 

He could hear them moving about above him, the double bed had already been made and there were towels left out for the couple should they wish to shower after their long journey. Rascal had bounded inside moments earlier, shaken off the snow and wandered over to his dish before looking expectantly at Theo. Once the dog had been fed and let back outside to do his business, Theo started brewing the coffee.

“Hey,” Aaron called out, naked save for a towel around his waist. “I’m gonna have a shower, alright?”

“Uh, yeah, sure.” Theo blinked and then shook his head after Aaron had left the kitchen. He turned around to find Jordan leaning against the butcher’s block, smirking. “I see nothing has changed since the time I stayed with you guys.”

“Oh no, he has changed.”

“Really?”

“He’s wearing a towel, isn’t he?!” Jordan laughed and reached over to take one of the festively decorated sugar cookies. “These look great, your own, I take it?”

“Made them last night.” Theo nodded and walked over to the door to let Rascal back inside when he heard the familiar whine. “Good dog.”

“Rrr rrr rrrh!” The Malamute complained loudly at him and then bounded over to Jordan, sniffing at his hand. He sat down and crooked his ears. “Rrh?”

“Uh…” Jordan glanced at Rascal and then at the cookie in his hand. “I guess…here.” He broke half off and offered it to the Malamute. 

“Gently.” Theo called out and Rascal accepted the cookie carefully, before turning around and carrying it off to where his bed was in the opposite corner of the room. “Good dog.”

“You have him well trained.” 

“Thanks, he was easy enough to train.” Theo nodded happily, returning to the kitchen to put the cups, the plate of cookies, and the French Press on a Santa themed platter to bring over to the coffee table.

“Nice tray.” Jordan smirked as he followed Theo over and sat down. “Not what I was expecting in terms of style though. It doesn’t quite match your ‘rich hermit on a mountain’ vibe though.”

“Oh, the kids at the local elementary school made them for their craft day; supporting the local community is kinda my thing now.” Theo said, ruffling Rascal’s ears as the dog came over to sit next to him. “I’m part of the village council: science affairs. But don’t give me that grin, there was pretty much no one else to choose from and I made some apparently good suggestions at the council meeting a month after I got here.”

“Moving up in the world, huh?” Jordan leaned back and looked around him, nodding. “This is a great place, Theo, I love your tree.”

“Yeah, cut it down myself.” Theo smiled and turned around on the couch to admire the six foot Christmas tree placed in the corner between the glass wall that looked out over the valley and the wide chimney breast. The lights had come on by timer and were a pleasant multi-colored hue, the silver tinsel adorning each layer as toys and ornaments hung from every branch. There were already a small collection of gifts underneath the tree and Theo gestured vaguely in its direction. “You can put yours down there too and we can open everything together if you want, or if you don’t-”

“Sounds like a plan.” Jordan nodded and took another cookie. “Do you do stockings? We got you one anyway.”

“That’s thoughtful of you, thanks.”

“Well, you are letting us stay up here for the next week,” Jordan grinned at him and then glanced up as Aaron returned to the main room, his lightly tanned skin flushed and blond hair still wet. “Hey, come join us-”

“Ok!”

“When you get dressed.” Jordan continued firmly as his boyfriend huffed and walked past, heading back to the guest quarters, his towel slipping away completely. “I swear, he’s a low key nudist!”

“Hmm, personal freedom is important.” Theo observed, absently stroking Rascal’s thick fur as the dog fell asleep on his feet. “Although from your expression, I probably shouldn’t tell him that! Haha!”

A few minutes later, Aaron came back down, this time dressed in loose sweats and a vest. He sat on the couch next to Jordan and helped himself to a cookie as Theo poured out some coffee for him. “I’m impressed, Theo, it’s super cosy in here and that shower was awesome! Great water pressure, great heat, jets coming from all sides, what an experience!”

“Haha, thanks, I’m guessing you’ll enjoy the hot tub too!” Theo grinned back. “We can try it out tomorrow: takes a bit of set up in the wintry weather.”

“Sounds cool.” Aaron nodded. “I had a peek onto the deck, hope you don’t mind.”

“Nah, I understand your curiosity.”

“Ah, good, it’s crazy cool, Jordan.” He said, turning to his boyfriend and gesturing with a cookie. “You know how earlier I was saying that the cabin looked like it backed up against the mountain’s edge?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, it’s actually built _into_ the rock itself!” 

“Seriously?”

“Yeah,” Theo nodded as Jordan frowned at him. He stood up as Rascal grumbled and got off his feet. “Come on and I’ll show you.” Theo guided them out of the living room and down the hallway that led to the rear of the cabin. He gestured at the doors on his left and right as they passed by. “My bedroom is there, bathroom here, storage, utility, pantry over there. And here…” Theo pushed open another thick wooden door built into the wall, a wave of cooler air washing over them. “Here is Platinum Peak itself.”

“Woah.”

“I told you it was cool!”

“When we were building the new cabin, I found this small cave in the back garden, a nice rocky overhang that the decking outside is built beneath.” Theo explained as they passed through a dressed stone tunnel and emerged in front of a set of thick glass doors set into the rock walls. “So I incorporated that into the house and made this deck area and hot tub about as private as it can be.”

“Can we go outside?” Aaron asked.

“Uh, do you want to freeze to death?” Theo shook his head and instead flipped a switch on the wall, turning on bright lamps outside, illuminating the flurry of snow that whipped around the snow covered railings. He arched his neck a little and nodded. “Yeah, go up close to the glass and you’ll just be able to see the lights of Regent’s Pass to the south.”

“Nice, really nice!” Jordan nodded approvingly and then turned, looking to where the tunnel branched off and seemed to go deeper into the mountain. “What’s down there?”

“Oh, uh, I guess I’ll show you everything.” Theo replied, suddenly uncomfortable as Rascal sniffed the palm of Aaron’s hand hopefully. He turned around and walked down the opposite way from where they had entered, lights overhead turning on automatically as he approached. At the end of the tunnel, there was a heavy steel door with complicated locks and a large wheel set into the metal. Theo pulled open a lid that was set flush into the wall and pressed his hand against the scanner, feeling it heat up for a moment before the locks retracted with a series of loud thuds and the door slowly swung open. “Follow me.”

Beyond the entrance was a large space hallowed out of the rock with seams of silver running across the ceiling. Theo turned to a bank of switches inside the door and flipped them all on, the lights hanging from the ceiling and set into the ground bloomed and lit up the cave, revealing two long benches covered in a variety of parts and materials: leathers, cloths, synthetic fibers, metals, bolts, wires, glass, crystal. As Theo walked ahead, he could hear his friends gasp and followed him deeper in. “Welcome to…well, the ‘Cavern of Dread’ sounds a bit ominous, right?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Thought so, I think the ‘Tomb of Memories’ sounds better.” Theo nodded as Jordan released a nervous laugh. “You’d be surprised how many para-scientists actually have set-ups like this in their homes or labs.”

“Probably.” Aaron muttered, blowing a thick layer of dust off a collection of empty vials. “But it looks like you haven’t used it much?”

“Well, no, I had intended to originally,” Theo shrugged and walked over to a large glass tube taller than he was that dominated the center of the room. “That’s part of the reason I moved out here, but once I arrived, well, I felt like the world didn’t need me anymore, at least, not _this_ part of me.”

“Hmm, good call.” Jordan replied assuredly as Theo turned on the interior lights that allowed them to see the long leather coat and harness with empty pouches hanging in the tube, a sinister skull-shaped helmet resting on a stand beside it. He tapped the glass and nodded at Theo again. “So, you’ve hung up your superhero suit, huh? Gone for the quiet life?”

“I’m not sure _The Alchemist_ was ever a hero.” Theo sighed and gestured around at the room. “I’ve used the place a few times over the past few months, consulting with some of the saner members of the guild, trying to come up with some way to help everyone else. But honestly, I use it mostly as cold storage and as a vault.” 

“Ah, that would explain the ten years’ worth of soda stacked in that corner.” Aaron chuckled as Theo walked over to a stained red iron safe. “Your piles of gold, I assume?”

“Safely in a bank, haha,” Theo laughed with them and shook his head. “No, this contains the dozen or so patents I still have from the Dread Doctors, I’ve been selling them one at a time to interested parties. Nothing sinister or dangerous, trust me, but it’s what allowed me to build this house, live this life comfortably and without financial trouble.”

“Rrrr rrr!” 

“Huh?” Aaron frowned and turned around to look at the dog. “What does he want?”

“Rascal probably needs to go outside again.” Theo flicked his watch over and nodded. “Evening is creeping up on us. How about I fix us some dinner and we find something to watch?”

“And critique?” Aaron added hopefully, grinning suddenly when Theo nodded, and Jordan sighed. “Yes! You have no idea how much I’ve missed that! This one actually wants to _watch_ TV without commenting constantly about their clothes, their acting, how hot the guys are! Like, can you believe that? Pfft! It should be an interactive experience, Jordan!”

“Haha, sounds like we’re gonna have some fun tonight!” Theo smiled and pulled the door to the cave shut behind him, the memories of the past locked away securely.


	3. The Exile From Chaos

“Arhoooooooo! Arhoooooooooo! Arr arrr arrhooooooooooooooo!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Theo grumbled as Rascal’s howling penetrated the thick walks and forced him from his bed. By the time he had reached the living room, Jordan and Aaron were already up, dressed only in their underwear. They were still sleepy looking and stood in front of the fireplace, staring at the dog. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Jordan shrugged with a smirk as Aaron just watched Rascal, his lips slightly parted.

“Arhooooo!” The dog was sitting down, facing the door, his head tilted back, ears flared. “Arrrrhooooooo!”

“C’mon, out you go.” Theo muttered and pulled open the door with one hand, using the other to urge Rascal into the snowy morning. “Go on, Rascal!”

“Arhoooo!” He took one look at Theo and then trotted outside, jumping playfully off the porch and into the drifts of snow. “Arwoof!”

“Ahh.” Theo shut the door after him and shivered, the cold air cutting easily through his flimsy sleeping pants and t-shirt. He turned around and walked over to where his friends were warming themselves against the smouldering fire. “Well, now you know what it’s like living with a Malamute all the time: sleep-ins are off-limits!”

“That was actually kinda cool.” Aaron replied, standing aside so Theo could build the fire back up with fresh logs. “It really reaches into your chest and like, I have chills!”

“Not surprising, that howl was real caveman stuff.” Jordan added as he walked over to the door to look out into the darkness. “He does that every morning?”

“Yeah, I don’t let him sleep in the same room as me: I don’t think that’s healthy for a person or a dog,” Theo explained as he glanced into the basket next to the fireplace with a frown. “Almost out of wood, never mind, I have more out in the shed. But yeah, so when he wakes up, Rascal wants to know where I am and most of the time, he also wants to go out to pee.” He straightened up and checked the time on the clock positioned in the center of the mantlepiece. “It’s just after eight, Diego’s doesn’t open until nine-thirty. Oh well, Happy Christmas Eve, guys!”

“Haha, same to you, Theo.” Jordan said and opened the door to allow Rascal to come back in. “Well now, pup!”

“Rrr!” Rascal growled playfully and brushed against Jordan’s legs as the Hellhound patted him down, shaking snow from his thick coat.

“I can’t believe the amount of snow you got overnight.” Aaron said, walking over to the window that overlooked the rest of the valley. “That must have been three or four feet!”

“Yeah, we get heavy falls this time of year.” Theo replied as he made his way to the kitchen. He put on the coffee machine and picked up Rascal’s bowl, preparing the dog’s morning meal before placing the dish back on the ground. “It’s going to be super-light and fluffy as well, it doesn’t become hard and compact until much later in the season.”

“Is that going to be a problem? You said you had things to pick up this morning.” Jordan asked as he followed Rascal towards the kitchen, the dog making a beeline to his bowl. “Do we have to dig the driveway out or something?”

“No, we should be fine, I already have tires with studs fitted, so that should give us some traction. It will just take a while to get out.” Theo handed him a mug of coffee and gestured at Aaron. “Coffee is up!”

“Thanks.”

“And don’t forget, I’ve driven these roads for a few years, Jordan, I know how to handle a bit of ice.” Theo patted Rascal’s head absently when the Malamute came over to sit next to him. “We’ll just take it slow and steady and there’s no rush.”

“Cool, alright if we come with you?” Jordan asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

“Yeah, I’d like to see more of where you’re living.” Aaron added, taking a banana from the fruit bowl as Theo started cutting bread for toast.

“Uh, we should go get dressed, Aaron,” Jordan said, patting his boyfriend’s bare shoulder. “Leave Theo to make breakfast.”

“Aw, but it’s not like we’re distracting you, are we, Theo?” Aaron grinned at him and leaned on the counter-top, making his biceps bulge and flex. “We can get dressed later, right?”

“Sure, sounds good.” Theo nodded, impervious to the other guy’s familiar charm. “Whatever you guys want to do, but I was thinking we might go for a hike when we come back. Head up towards Silver Falls-it’s frozen over now, but it’s a nice walk and, damn, just incredible in the summer.”

“Trying to get us to come back already, huh?!”

“There’s only a limited amount of daylight in the winter, but in the summer months, you can really experience the fullness of the natural world around us. And this is still a quiet spot so, you know, you can be all natural!” Theo said with a wink as Aaron choked on his banana. He turned away and popped the sliced bread onto the hot plate of his Aga. “Hey, do you guys want something other than fruit with this? I got some bacon I can throw on.”

“Ooh, sounds good!” Jordan nodded enthusiastically as Aaron shook his head.

“Nah, I’m still full after last night, haha! I’ve never had venison before, so good, and that red wine sauce…ach! Heaven!”

“Haha, glad you liked it.”

“I’ve high expectations for Christmas Day dinner, Theo.” Aaron joked with him, accepting the toast and reaching for the butter. “Where did you learn to cook like that anyway?”

“Oh, here and there,” He shrugged, dropping strips of bacon onto a pan with a sizzle. “A lot of the folks around here are self-sufficient, so we swap skills, trade knowledge for produce, lend a helping hand and you get something in return.”

“Ah, sounds like you have a real community spirit, I like it.” Jordan said, secreting the crusts of his toast to Rascal who snapped them up eagerly. “Good dog!”

“Rrr rrh!”

It took almost half an hour to get the truck out of its shelter and onto the snowy track leading back down the mountain. Theo and Jordan took turns clearing the chest-high snow with large shovels as Aaron rocked the Tacoma back and forth, waiting for the tires to dig in. All the while, Rascal watched them from the side of the road, his mouth open as though he was grinning, content to sit in the snow, his thick coat protecting him from its chill.

Even once they were all inside the truck-Rascal sitting next to Theo as Jordan and Aaron were relegated to the back seats-the going was still slow, Theo alternating between tapping the gas pedal and then the brakes. The road was steep and wound between rocky outcroppings and thick patches of fir trees, allowing some areas of the dirt track to become more frozen than others. As they finally levelled out and reached the main road, Theo turned left, the opposite direction to Platinum Gorge and instead drove towards the other mountains that ranged downwards from Platinum Peak onwards to Mount Regent. 

After a few minutes, they came across a collection of log cabins and a gas station on the side of the road just before a bridge over a frozen river. Theo pulled in and parked next to a police SUV, gesturing at one of the cabins that had a large radio receiver planted in the ground next to it. “County Sheriff’s Department is over there; much smaller than Beacon Hills, only five of them.”

“Damn, that is small.” Jordan replied as he pulled on his coat. “Is Rascal coming with?”

“Yeah, you can let him out without the lead, he knows this place pretty well.” Theo said, opening the door. “Plus, the police dog, Misty, will want to say hello to him, haha. Go on.” He gestured for Rascal to follow him and the dog jumped over the central console and onto the icy surface with remarkable ease. “Hey guys, be careful, it’s pretty slippery out here.”

“Yeah, no shit!” Aaron scowled, clinging to the door handle until Jordan came around to support him. “Man, I wish I had your balance.”

“I gotchu, relax, just take it slow.” Jordan said, taking his arm and the duo began moving across the slush and onto the less disturbed areas of snow.

“Hey Theo!” One of the police officers came out of the station and waved at them, a large German Shepard bounding out alongside her. Rascal sped up and the two dogs met each other with wagging tails and playful barks.

“Hey, Martha.” Theo waved back, stopping about six feet away from her, pulling his mask out of his pocket. He gestured at the other two men behind him. “This is Jordan and Aaron, they’re friends up from California. Cops too, by the way.”

“You’re not here on official business, I take it?” She laughed, watching the duo stumble on the slick surface.

“No, uh, just visiting for the holiday.” Jordan replied, smiling. “Definitely not used to this weather.”

“Haha, stay long enough and you will.”

“You won’t want to leave, either.” Theo added with a grin. “Are you going on patrol?”

“Mayor Denis wants a unit outside of the library: active presence for all the out-of-towners.” Martha replied, producing a small shovel and she begun scooping the snow off the nearest police SUV. “I can watch Rascal for a few minutes, Theo.”

“Thanks, just need to pick up a few things from Diego.” Theo said, nodding his head appreciatively. “Should only be about ten minutes. C’mon, guys.” He gestured towards the center cabin and Aaron and Jordan followed him towards it as Rascal and Misty chased each other in the snow. Theo pushed open the door to the small shop and stepped inside, kicking his boots against the doormat to shake off the excess ice. “Hey, Diego.”

“Theo! Good to see you!” A fresh faced youth in his late teens stood behind a wooden counter about fifteen feet in front of them. He smiled at Theo, bright eyes gleaming as he perked up. “And friends too, huh? Not just Rascal!”

“I have friends.” Theo replied with mock offense before he grinned and nodded at the collection of brown wrapped parcels at the end of the counter. “All for me or…?”

“No, they’re all for you, I’ve got boxes for you to put them into, don’t expect you to carry them all out by yourself, even if you do have some lumberjacks to help, haha.” Diego chuckled, a bright, musical laugh, and nodded in Jordan and Aaron’s direction who were examining the mountaineering supplies at the other end of the store. “I can tell they work out…”

“Oh, no, they’re cops, but I guess they need to be fit for that job, huh?” Theo leaned on the counter as Diego smirked and arched his brows once. “How are you anyway?”

“Since you saw me on Monday? I’m good, I’m good.” Diego stepped back to pick up a wooden crate and placed it on the counter. “My Dad said to thank you again for the cough medicine, it’s really helped his chest.”

“No problem, old family recipe.” Theo took the box and slid it down the counter. “And your Mom? Still in Anchorage?”

“Yeah, I don’t think she’s going to get back for Christmas.”

“I’m sorry, man.” Theo replied softly and begun to place the wrapped packages inside the box. “That’s gonna be tough on you and your little brothers.”

“Ah, we’ll get through, she’s hoping to be home for New Years, so that’s something.” Diego paused and then shrugged. “Your friends are here for the holidays, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, I was gonna ask if you wanted to…” He trailed off and rubbed the back of his neck before laughing nervously. “Uh, never mind.”

“What is it?” Theo frowned and then turned around suddenly, catching Aaron and Jordan as they conspicuously ducked behind a shelf. “Uh huh.”

“Just, um, Happy Christmas, Theo.” Diego hesitated as though he wanted to say something else, but instead he gestured at the remaining packages. “Ok, so, uh, so that’s two cheese wheels Ophelia left in, a crate of twelve bottles of assorted fizzy pop and summer cordial from Edgar, a baker’s dozen of eggs from Florence, um…”

“Some cured ham, two links of sausages, and some spiced beef,” Theo tapped the counter and nodded. “Simon, right?”

“You did find his lost dog last March and helped us fix the fence in the upper field during the summer.” Diego paused again before continuing. “Man, that was a hot day, but still a highlight of the summer.”

“Haha, really?” Theo put the produce into the second box and then frowned again at the final package, a white cardboard box with gold edging. “Hmm, I don’t think I’ve helped anyone else recently.”

“Um, it’s from me.” Diego said, his face not covered by the mask was flushed, but he held Theo’s gaze. “Never would have passed Bio-Chem 101 without your help. Uh, so, uh, thanks.”

“That’s sweet.” Theo smiled and held out his elbow, nodding when Diego did the same and they bumped their arms together. “You were a great student, happy to tutor you again if you need it.”

“Oh, I’ll need it.” Diego muttered, clearly not intending for Theo to hear him and the chimera kept his expression neutral as the teenager cleared his throat and gestured at the counter. “Err, how about I give you a hand with the boxes?”

“Oh no, no need, I’ll get one of the lumberjacks to help me! Jordan!” Theo called out, turning around to find him and Aaron lingering nearby, neither doing a good job of feigning interest in the selection of thermal underwear for sale. “Uh, good, can you…?”

“We got it, Theo.” Jordan smirked at him and Aaron winked, each of them taking a box and walking outside. “Keep talking to your friend!”

“Don’t slip!” Theo glanced again at Diego and picked up the white and gold box. “Thanks again, have a good Christmas, Diego, I’m sure I’ll see you next week.”

“Yeah, you too, Theo.” Diego smiled, the edges of his mask crinkling as he watched Theo leave the store. “See you soon.”

“There’s a storm coming, Theo!” An elderly man on his way into the gas station paused next to the pump and waved at them. He was dressed from head to foot in snow camouflage with only his grizzled face bare. “Storm Herald, they’re calling it! Snow coming up the valley, minus twenty, gale-force wind, it’s gonna be a howler!”

“Thanks for the warning, Mick.” Theo replied as Aaron and Jordan stored the crates in the back of the truck and Rascal came trotting over. “Do you need anything or are you all set up?”

“Oh, I’m fine, I’ve got my stores, my batteries, and enough vodka to challenge a Russian!” Mick responded fierily. “I’ve been weathering storms on this mountain since ’64, but if I need anything, I’ll call ya.”

“Alright, don’t be a stranger.” Theo nodded and opened the truck door. “Merry Christmas to you.”

“And to you all!”

“Ah, now, then.” Theo muttered as everyone got in and Rascal sat down in the footwell with a yawn. “Are we good?”

“Yeah.” Aaron nodded and then smirked at him in that old familiar way. “So, uh, Theo, what’s going on with you and Diego? I thought everything was ice cold up here until I felt that blistering passion smoldering between you two!”

“Easy,” Jordan chided his boyfriend as Theo remained silent and drove out of the yard and back onto the road, snow falling again. “Uh, I think what he means, what we both mean, is-”

“He’s just a friend, relax.” Theo shut them down and flicked on the windscreen wipers. “There’s barely anyone here my actual age: pretty much everyone leaves for college or gets a job in forestry or energy and leaves for six months of the year. Diego is only home because his college is doing online learning, that and his father has been poorly, so he’s taken over the store for a while.”

“You seem to know a lot about him,” Aaron kept grinning. “So, how old is he?”

“Unlike some people, I don’t fall for high school seniors.”

“Ooh, he burns!”

“Hah,” Theo smirked playfully and increased his speed as they turned back onto the trail that led home. “Uh, yeah, he’s nineteen.”

“Ok,” Jordan hummed under his breath as Rascal’s ears stiffened and he crooked his head at the sound. “So, there’s only…four years in the difference. That’s not a lot when you’re both adults. And like you said, not many options-”

“Dude!” Aaron shook his head irritably. “We could be ass deep in hot models right now, and Theo would still be my number one choice!”

“Uh, thanks?” Theo felt his cheeks burn at the compliment.

“Ok, ok, you’re right.” Jordan relented as Aaron nodded determinedly. “Even still-”

“Guys!” Theo called out, shaking his head. “There is nothing going on with me and Diego!”

“Ahh, but there could be!”

“Bah!”


	4. A Necessary Discussion

After returning from their hike, Theo left his friends to get changed and remove the chill from the swirling gale force winds that had wrapped around the Peak. Instead, he focused on bringing in more wood from the stockpile that had been set up on the leeward side of the cabin’s external wall. Theo glanced up when he heard the door open and saw Aaron emerge onto the sheltered porch where Rascal was still eating his treat nosily-a reward from the walk. “Hey, you get those wet socks changed?”

“Yeah, my feet are nice and toasty now.” He grinned and nodded. “My mistake to run after Rascal, that snow drift was easily up to my chest.”

“He would have dug you out, eventually.” Theo smirked as the Malamute cocked his head on hearing his name. “Yes, you would have, huh, pup?”

“Rrr rruuuow!”

“Haha, I think he agrees.” Aaron chuckled and reached down to scratch behind the dog’s ears. “Are you getting ready for the storm?”

“Not too much to prepare: I took down the wind turbine and brought in anything that might blow away.” Theo said, loading up another basket with cut logs. “The cabin itself should be alright, it was designed to provide shelter for this type of disaster.”

“Ah, so this is where I should come when the world ends?!”

“Haha.”

“Although maybe you’ll be full up with _Diego_ here!”

“Pft! Aaron…” Theo gave him a withering glare. “I’m just glad the roads are pretty much impassable right now, I wouldn’t put it past either of you to go and, and…uh.”

“Uh huh, there’s an idea!” Aaron smirked wider, turning to gesturing for Jordan to join them when his boyfriend lingered in the doorway. “C’mere.”

“What’s an idea?”

“Oh, just playing match-maker to Theo!”

“Yeah, because that worked out so well last time.” Theo muttered darkly and began loading another basket next to him. “The coroner’s assistant? Yeah, disaster!”

“Hey!”

“Can you take this into the fireplace, Jordan?” Theo asked, gesturing at the other basket. “Just stack everything on top of each other, you should see where the pile is depleted.”

“Anything that I can do?”

“Look pretty?”

“Hey, I’m good at that!” Aaron grinned at him and struck a heroic pose, hands on his hips, chin stuck out. “Did you know I used to be a model in college?”

“Yeah, you’ve told me that before.” Theo hid his grin as he picked up an axe to chop some of the larger pieces up. “Several times.”

“Yeah, well, that was before I knew about the supernatural and the fact that you’re all pretty much perfect looking.” He sighed and sat down on the steps to pat Rascal again. “Seriously not fair.”

“It comes with some caveats, you know? It’s not all super-strength and regenerative systems.” Theo took aim and swung the axe with practiced ease, chopping the large piece in half. “Not to mention the fact that all the supernaturals you’ve encountered are pretty benign in comparison to some of the specimens, err, individuals, my colleagues in the guild are studying.”

“Oh? Such as?”

“Well, a fellow alchemical researcher in Norway has been studying the Lesser Spotted Werebear for the last few years: ferocious, aggressive, and self-conscious.” Theo replied after thinking for a moment. “It’s the appearance-the teeth stick out constantly like a fan. They’re not so model-like.”

“With a name like that, I’m not surprised.” Aaron muttered, watching Theo intently as he swung the axe overhead again, his tongue slipping out between his lips. 

“And then there was the recent discovery of a tribe of Indigenous peoples in South America with the unique and completely bizarre ability to transform into flat fish on demand.” Theo paused with the axe raised, his features thoughtful. “We had an entire conference on that one, very odd, considering the nearest ocean was several hundred miles away. I remain convinced that it’s some sort of genetic abnormality rather than a curse, but that’s just reflective of the wider methodological and paradigm differences between the scientist wing and the pagan worship wing which-”

“Uh, ok, ok,” Aaron cut across him quickly. “I get it now, different strokes for different supernatural folks!”

“Wood is in, Theo.” Jordan returned to them, slightly out of breath. “Do you have another load to give me?”

“Hah!” Aaron snorted and Rascal glanced at him strangely.

Jordan turned and gave Aaron a long slow glare as his boyfriend descended into laughter, before he glanced back at Theo. “Well?”

“Uh, no, I’ll chop up the rest and bring it in myself.” Theo replied, picking up a short twig and holding it out to Rascal. The dog quickly got up, his eyes following the movements of the stick. Theo raised it and threw it out into the snow-covered yard. “Go fetch!”

“Rrr!” Rascal gave a happy yip and jumped into the snow to track down the stick. Once he found it, the dog snatched it up and trotted back through the snow to drop the stick at Aaron’s feet. “Rrr rrrip!”

“Uh, go long?” The deputy threw the stick back out and grinned as Rascal charged after it. He looked at Theo, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “Hey, Theo?”

“Yeah?”

“You know that scene in _Avengers_ where Cap is out cutting wood at Hawkeye’s house?” Aaron’s grin got wider as Jordan groaned and sighed. “The one where he rips this huge log in half like it ain’t no thing?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you do that?” He nodded at the next log Theo was about to chop in two.

“Uh, probably.” Theo shrugged and picked up the piece of timber, weighing it in his hands, before pressing his fingers into the center of the wood, balancing the chunk against his chest. He grunted for a few seconds and then felt the timber rip apart with remarkable ease. “Haha, there you go!”

“Your turn, Jordan.” Aaron immediately said, arching his brows suggestively.

“Why don’t we just do it shirtless instead?” Jordan said, flinging away the stick that Rascal dropped at his feet. “Then you can get your muscle kink out of the way!”

“I prefer ‘worship’ rather than ‘kink’, it’s more classy.” Aaron smirked as Theo gathered the remaining pieces of wood into the basket. “But hell, if you’re offering…”

“Let’s go inside.” Theo said, looking past his friends towards the summit of the mountain, now hidden by the rapidly descending snow-laden winds. “That storm is almost upon us. Rascal, come!”

The storm had taken hold fully by the time Theo had banked up the fire and locked the door and window, the thick insulation preventing the wind from getting through. Visibility had plummeted, he was unable to even see the end of the porch, lost in a blizzard of grey snow as the sun disappeared. Aaron and Jordan were relaxing on the couch, the former scrolling on his phone as Jordan read a book he had brought with him. Rascal was sitting next to Theo as he pottered about the kitchen, preparing things for Christmas Day dinner, content to just be next to his master.

Darkness closed around them with a subtle softness that only became noticeable when Theo moved through the living room, closing the heavy grey curtains and finally securing the cabin against the outside world. Aaron had moved on to watching TV, lying flat out on the couch, his head in Jordan’s lap. Theo put the finishing touches on a large platter of charcuterie, a variety of cheeses and a soft brie, several types of crackers and the crusty bread he had baked that afternoon before their hike. He paused and then added a bunch of grapes before picking the whole thing up and bringing it over to the coffee table. “Just a little afternoon snack before dinner, guys.”

“Woah!” Jordan closed his book with a snap as Aaron’s eyes grew wide. “That looks delicious, Theo!”

“Damn, super impressive!”

“Thanks, help yourselves.” Theo said, turning around to bring over smaller plates and some cheese knives. “Everything is made locally, except the grapes, those are imported, of course. Do you guys want wine or…?”

“Sounds good to me.” Aaron nodded as Jordan wrinkled his nose. “Do you mind?”

“No, no, you go ahead.”

“Hmm.” Theo smirked and went over to his drinks’ cabinet. He surveyed the selection and then chose a sauvignon blanc and a bottle of port, bringing both over to the table along with several glasses balanced in his free hand. “Here we go.”

“I’m fine with water,” Jordan said, glancing at him as he placed a slice of creamy brie between two crackers. “Seriously, the taste isn’t even something I miss.”

“Do you remember when I told you I still have a large collection of Dread Doctor patents in my safe?” Theo asked with a smirk as he began pouring a glass of white wine for Aaron. 

“Yes.” Jordan nodded and then his eyes narrowed. “They had a formula for getting supernaturals drunk?”

“Kind of, it was originally intended to be a knockout drug that could be slipped into a werewolf’s drink and then the Doctors could take the victim and harvest them for parts.” Theo replied airily as the cops both winced. “Grisly, huh? But I’ve been working with a colleague from the guild, Igor-he lives on the other side of the Bering Strait-and we think we’ve cracked the formula to just make supernaturals drunk without passing out. Well, not unless they drink way too much like a human might.”

“Uh, and has this been tested on anyone?”

“Oh, yes, we’ve had several clinical trials, all very effective, very safe. I even wrote a paper on it for the _Journal of Paranormal Biosciences_.” Theo added with a touch of pride, standing up to get the additive from the cabinet, before he returned to the couch. “We’re still trying to figure out how to turn it into a business venture, but I’m confident in the parascience if nothing else..”

“I bet you’d have lots of customers.” Aaron said as he took a bite of bread and tried to avoid Rascal’s gaze, the Malamute sitting in front of the fire and looking longingly between Aaron’s hand and his face. 

“I’m honestly just thinking of selling the patent to an interested party and letting them handle the rest.” Theo shook his head and produced a small bottle fitted with a dropper. “I don’t think I’m cut out for the corporate world.”

“Is that because you’d actually have to leave Platinum Peak?” Jordan asked, leaning back in his seat. 

“That might have something to do with it.” Theo admitted grudgingly, unscrewing the dropper and squeezing the rubber top to apply two drops to the glass of port Jordan had pointed at a few seconds earlier. “But I’m happy here and I have Rascal, I can’t leave him alone all day, no, no. No, I _need_ to stay here, it’s for the best.”

“Is that why you haven’t come back to Beacon Hills since, uh, since you left?” Aaron asked, finally crumbling under the intensity of Rascal’s unblinking stare. He flicked the heel of the bread towards the dog and Rascal caught it in his mouth with remarkable accuracy, crunching on the crust eagerly. “Damn!”

“Hmm, this is actually pretty good.” Jordan muttered as he sipped the port. 

“Glad to hear it, thanks.” Theo smiled and settled back with his own glass and a sliver of brie on a cracker. He glanced at Aaron and shrugged. “You know, I had thought about coming back a few times, to visit or whatever, but the truth is I’m just happy here. And for a while, I never thought I’d feel that way. This is a good place, the people are nice, they’re friendly, I like helping them. And it’s out of the way, the joy of a quiet life, Aaron.”

“Ok,” He paused and took a few grapes into his hand as Rascal sniffed the air and then walked around him to sit opposite Jordan, looking hopefully at the Hellhound. “Um, this quiet life of yours, is it also sexless?”

“What?”

“You said it yourself, there’s no one else in town close enough to your age-not that that is the main barrier-but most people are probably already settled down, huh?” Aaron fixed him with a suddenly intense gaze. “So, what are you doing?”

“I’ve a great internet connection.” Theo replied, avoiding his eyes and instead looked at the fire. “That serves as the only pressure release valve I need, and I have plenty of friends for company.”

“Hmm, Diego definitely likes you.” Jordan joined the conversation after tossing a piece of ham to Rascal. “I don’t need supernatural senses to detect that. So, why haven’t you gone for him?”

“He’s going to leave as soon as the colleges open back up, there’s no point.” Theo replied.

“Ah, so you do like him.”

“I never said I didn’t, I just, I think he should make decisions based on his future rather than the present.” Theo shrugged uncomfortably. “Can we please stop talking about this?”

“Err, sure.” Jordan replied, glancing at Aaron and nodding pointedly at him. 

“Yeah, ok, fine, we just want you to be happy Theo, fully content.” Aaron was serious for a moment before he arched a brow at Theo. “So, are we talking Sean Cody, Next Door Twinks, or some Falcon Studios classics?”

“Brother Crush.” Theo replied with a serious expression as the man gasped.

“No way!”

“No, of course not, you weirdo.” He sighed and gestured vaguely in the air. “Just, you know, normal stuff.”

“Ahh, so kinky you don’t want to say!” Aaron laughed as Jordan tutted and Theo gave a cracker to Rascal with a smirk.

Compact heat lamps built into the sides of the deck area melted the snow and ice, leaving the wood bare even as the blizzard howled beyond the railings that ran around the edge of the overlook. The rock of the mountain had been chiseled into to provide a weatherproof overhang that sheltered the hot tub from the elements, the water bubbling and steaming into the chilly air. Part of it ran flush into the edge of the decking, creating the illusion that the pool kept going into thin air, a thick pane of glass keeping the worst of the elements from invading. Theo finished adjusting the settings and then gestured for Aaron and Jordan to join him, the duo opting to wear their underwear into the tub rather than try and fit into Theo’s smaller swimsuits. 

Theo had put Rascal indoors, the dog flopped out in front of the fire, asleep after the long hike that afternoon. He waited for his friends to get into the water, both exclaiming loudly about the contrasting heat of the tub and the cold air above it. When Theo was sure that the temperature was appropriate, he pulled off his t-shirt and sweats, slipping into the water opposite them. “Ahh, feels good.”

“That it does!” Aaron grinned and let himself sink to the bottom until just his head was above water. “I’ve never felt so perfectly hot!”

Theo met Jordan’s eyes and they both smirked. He settled back against the smooth, sloping walls and let his limbs float as he relaxed. Jordan was sitting more upright, the tops of his broad pecs above the waterline as his skin flushed red in the sudden heat. “I don’t come out here as often as I should: it’s pretty neat on a winter’s day but wait until summer rolls around and it’s perfect.”

“I bet,” Aaron nodded, pushing off the floor and resting again next to his boyfriend. He gestured towards the snow storm behind Theo. “The view across the valley must be something else.”

“Sometimes it feels like I’m on the ceiling of the world.” Theo murmured, letting the heat permeate his body and sink into his bones. “It’s so still, so far removed from everything, and when the clouds and fog lift, you can see all the way out to the ocean. It’s incredible.”

“Ok, I think you’ve convinced us to return in the summer!” Jordan chuckled and placed an arm around Aaron’s shoulders, pulling him closer. “For the view of course.”

“Exactly,” Aaron added, a lazy smirk pulling at his lips. “For no other purpose, such as, for example, seeing if you and Diego finally get together!”

“Still on that, huh?” Theo sighed and shook his head. He nodded along as he watched Aaron becoming more frisky and Jordan sinking deeper into the tub in an attempt to hide his own arousal in shimmering water. Theo cleared his throat and began to stand up. “Um, I can see you guys are eager to make some memories of your own, so I’m going to…go to bed.”

“What? Aw, no, hang around, Theo.” Aaron’s gaze snapped up and he looked encouragingly at him. “You know, you could join us, one round for old time’s sake?!”

“Huh.” He clicked his tongue as he considered the offer.

“Your choice, Theo.” Jordan said, shrugging noncommittedly.

“That’s, uh, generous, guys, but, no, I’m fine.” Theo replied, shaking his head as he hoisted himself up out of the tub and wrapped a thick, fluffy towel around his shoulders. “Seriously, enjoy yourselves!”

“Hey, you don’t want to be rusty if you and Diego ever do hook up!”

“Nah, I’m good, Aaron, trust me.” Theo smirked and then gestured at the controls next to where he had been sitting. “Don’t forget to turn everything off before you go to bed, ok?”

“Ok, spoilsport!” 

“Haha, we’ll see you in the morning, Theo.”

“Night, guys.”


	5. The Respite Required

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had hoped to get this written and published yesterday, but it just wouldn't come together. I hope everyone had a merry Christmas/happy holiday!

“Aruff! Arhooo!”

“Hmm.” Theo grunted as he was pulled from his dream by Rascal’s howling. He pushed the duvet and blankets off the bed and hopped out, slipping his feet into furry slippers and pulled his hoodie around his shoulders. The cabin was colder than the day before as he hurried down the hall and into the main living area, slowing his pace when he saw Jordan standing at the door next to Rascal. “Hey, thanks.”

“It’s fine, we heard him first.” Jordan was wearing sweatpants and a long pullover, rubbing his hands together as he looked through the window next to the door. “The snow is piled high out there, Theo, should we still let him out?”

“Uh, let me have a look,” Theo inched the door open, tutting under his breath when loose packed snow fell inside, several more feet having fallen during the night so that the entire porch was filled in. He peered over it out into the darkness, the external lights not penetrating through the icy build up. Theo glanced at Rascal as Jordan stepped back into the kitchen and away from the bitterly cold wind that was whipping the loose snow up from the surface. “Well, pup? Are you going to chance it?”

“Rrr rrr!” Rascal growled and made to climb the snow, sinking into it with a shake of his head. He paused for a moment and looked back at Theo before dashing forward, carving a furrow through the pristine snow. 

“Haha, ok, knock when you want to come in.” Theo chuckled and closed the door with a click. He walked over to the fireplace and started stoking the embers from the night before, adding smaller twigs and kindling to the reawakened flames before he was able to place some large logs onto the stack. “It should heat up in a bit.”

“No problem.” Jordan nodded and came forward to admire the Christmas tree. “Aaron will be down in a minute, just letting him sleep in a bit.”

“Sure, I’ll need about twenty minutes to put on breakfast and then we can start unwrapping.” Theo replied, keeping his attention fixed on the door, waiting to hear Rascal’s return.

“Uh, Theo?” Jordan hesitated, only continuing to speak when the chimera nodded at him. “I just wanted to make sure there was no awkwardness between us after what, uh, _didn’t_ happen last night?”

“It’s fine, did you have a good time?”

“Sure, of course,” Jordan chuckled and reached over his shoulder to scratch his neck. “So, we’re good? No…awkwardness?”

“No, we’re fine, I just wasn’t in the mood for…all that.” Theo shrugged and returned to the door when he heard the sound of approaching paws crunching through the snow. He pulled open the door to find Rascal’s snow covered face looking at him accusingly. “Well, cold, pup?”

“Rrrh! Rrroof!” Rascal trotted inside and paused to shake the moisture from his coat before he went over to his dish and sat down, waiting to be fed.

“Haha, same routine every morning, huh?” Jordan said as the sound of creaking wood from over their heads heralded Aaron’s approach. “I’ll go get dressed, pretty sure he’ll want a shower.”

“Sure, sure, take your time.” Theo nodded and busied himself preparing Rascal’s breakfast, glancing up when Aaron shuffled downstairs, yawning and scratching the stubble on his chin. “Hey, looks like you had a good night!”

“Hehe, you know it, Theo!” Aaron managed to wink at him before he went over to pet Rascal. “Sad you couldn’t join us though.”

“Not this time.”

“Ahh, so I can still hold out hope for another time?”

“There’s always hope!” Theo grinned playfully at him and gestured at the Aga. “I made and froze some pastries a few weeks back, let me heat them up and we can just pick away at them over the morning. There’ll be coffee too.”

“Oh, I look that wrecked?” Aaron laughed as Theo clicked his tongue and shrugged. “You wanna know what else was wrecked? My-”

“Plenty of hot water for a shower.” Theo cut across him smoothly. “Go on, I’ll call everyone when breakfast is ready.”

“Spoilsport.”

After preparing the turkey with butter and herbs, Theo placed it into the Aga’s oven to begin cooking as Jordan and Aaron sat on one of the couches they had turned around to face the Christmas tree. Dawn was breaking at last, but the blizzard outside was still raging, the wind howling around the cabin as snow was blasted across the windows, obscuring any view of the valley below. Rascal had followed Theo around as he caught the scent of the raw meat, gratefully accepting slivers of cut ham that Theo had cooked the day before.

But once the turkey was in the oven, Theo joined the couple at the tree and Rascal padded over to sit in front of them, watching as they ate their pastries and drank the strong coffee Theo had made moments earlier. Jordan was the first to finish and he pointed at the trio of brightly decorated stockings that had been laid against the pile of presents. “Do you want to take turns, or do you unwrap in a frenzy of wrapping paper?!”

“No, I usually take my time but then again, I usually don’t have a stocking to open too.” Theo accepted the one with a jolly looking snowman on it as Jordan handed the reindeer one to Aaron, and kept the Santa riding a sleigh for himself. “I feel bad now, I would have-”

“Nonsense, Theo,” Aaron broke in, shaking his head. “You’ve already let us stay here, plied us with enough food and drink to feed a battalion, _and_ given us access to cutest doggo around! Enjoy the gifts!”

“They’re only small things, mementos, I suppose.” Jordan explained as Theo smiled. “I’ll go first.” He pulled out a rectangular present, wrapped in silver and gold, pulling the paper off as Rascal went over to sniff it curiously. “Ah, excellent! Thank you, Aaron!” Jordan grinned as he held up a 2021 planner. “That’s gonna be handy.”

“Haha, thought so, you plan everything out weeks in advance!” Aaron smiled and pulled out a vaguely square package wrapped in blue and white paper, his brows arching as he squeezed it carefully. “I wonder…ahh, Sour Patch Kids! Awesome!”

“For that killer sweet tooth of yours!” Jordan laughed as Aaron wasted no time in ripping the packet open and took one of the candies. “Don’t offer them to Rascal!”

“Haha, doesn’t look like he’s interested.” Theo smirked as the Malamute sniffed Aaron’s hand and then backed away, looking at Theo instead. “That’s a good dog.”

“Rrr rrrrh!”

“Go on, Theo.”

“Ok,” He smiled and reached into the stocking, pulling out a long, oblong parcel, this one wrapped in Aaron’s silver and gold paper. “Hmm, it feels soft.”

“Don’t just feel it, open it!” Aaron cheered him on. “And no supernatural cheating either!”

“Ah ha, it’s…socks?” Theo pulled the paper apart and nodded happily. “Oooh, ultra-thick socks!”

“Yeah, I figured you could use them while out hiking or something.”

“Thanks, I definitely will!” Theo grinned, rubbing the fabric between his thumb and forefinger appreciatively. “Err, do you want to open your gift from me?”

“Sure!” Aaron nodded eagerly and waited for Theo to retrieve it for him from under the tree. “Oooh, that’s a big box!”

“Don’t worry, it’s not a puppy.”

“Haha, only one puppy here, huh, Rascal?!” Aaron laughed and reached out to hug the Malamute affectionately.

“Rrr! Rrroof!”

“Sounds like he agrees,” Jordan smiled as Aaron began to unwrap the box. “We got him a gift as well, Theo.”

“So did half the town.” Theo grinned as Rascal came back over to him and sat on Theo’s foot, leaning into him. “Good dog.”

“Ahh, nice! Woah, this is incredible!” Aaron gasped and showed off a framed picture of Platinum Peak, the perspective looking down the valley towards the town. “Did you add artist to your collection of awesome skills?”

“Haha, no, uh, I got it during the summer when Regent’s Pass were having a craft fair.” Theo explained. “I thought you’d like it, something to remember me by when, uh, when you leave.”

“I’ll remember you because you’re you, Theo, you big dummy!” Aaron placed the painting carefully on the floor and then leaned over to pull Theo into a hug, keeping him close until Rascal pushed his head into the gap between their bodies and Aaron pulled back. “Haha, I’m not stealing your owner, pup.”

“He probably just wants to be part of the affection!” Theo chuckled and petted Rascal’s head and fluffy coat. “Good boy! You’re the best dog, Rascal!”

It took two hours for them to complete the opening of every present in the stockings and around the tree, finishing just before noon, and stopping several times for fresh cups of coffee and for Jordan and Theo to wrestle the large turkey from the very hot top oven of the Aga to the lower oven where it would slowly cook for the next few hours. Both Jordan and Aaron seemed happy with their gifts, and Theo was touched by how involved they kept him, not just joking and talking the whole time, but also making sure he received an equal share of the gifts: candy, socks, aftershave and cosmetics, survival gear for Theo, cards, dog toys and accessories.

Aaron even gave Theo and Jordan matching-if differently sized-underwear, although his attempts to have them both model it fell flat as Theo just smirked and Jordan refused. His sulk was short-lived when Aaron saw the gift Theo had got Jordan, his eyes widening at the wad of cash presented in an elaborately decorated box. Jordan himself had given Theo a framed picture of the three of them taken the last day before Theo had left Beacon Hills, all of them smiling, arms wrapped around each other. 

The wind had lessened by the time afternoon broke and the group decided to brave the outdoors for a bracing walk, all wrapped up and snug, Rascal eager to lead the way in a fluorescent orange dog coat. The snow was extremely deep in places, and they didn’t get to Silver Falls as they had the day before. But Theo was glad for the exercise, sentiments voiced by Aaron and Jordan as they returned to the cabin, a surge of cheer palpable on the wind when the smoke rising from the snow-decked chimney came into sight. 

The sun was setting by the time they had warmed up and changed into warmer, looser clothing, Theo, aided by Aaron, made them hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows. Rascal stood by patiently as they worked, glancing every now and again at his bowl and “talking” whenever Theo said something to Aaron. Once his guests had been served however, Theo took the remaining warm milk and tipped it into Rascal’s bowl, adding a touch of cold water so the dog wouldn’t get burned. 

“Woah!” Jordan stared at Rascal as he danced around, waiting for Theo to place his dish on the ground. “He really likes that, huh?”

“I think dogs just like milk.” Theo shrugged as Rascal charged forward and licked up the concoction with gusto. “I add the water to cool it down: the first time I didn’t, and you should’ve seen him! He barked at the bowl!”

“Hahaha!” Aaron laughed as Jordan grinned. “He thought it was attacking him, huh?”

“Haha, yeah, exactly.” Theo put down his cup and opened one of the food cabinets, taking out several containers. “Uh, guys, I got some candy here, some homemade, others, well, made in the village. I’ll put them on the coffee table, and you can go and relax, chill out.”

“Are you sure you don’t want a hand with dinner?”

“Nah, this is fun for me!” Theo grinned. “But I’ll sit for a moment while we drink the hot chocolate.”

A few hours later, dinner was served at a table Theo and Jordan carried in from his store room. Dressed in a white linen tablecloth and a silver runner decorated with black snowflakes, the presentation was festive with a touch of class. Two gold candlesticks at both ends added some ambience as Theo turned down the lights in the living room, allowing the spill-over illumination from the mezzanine and the warming glow of the cozy fire to be their sole source of brightness. The Christmas Tree gleamed and provided a pleasing backdrop as Theo brought over platter after platter of turkey, ham, spiced beef, roast potatoes, two types of stuffing, and various vegetable side dishes. He had bottles of wine on the counter nearby, with a carafe of water on the table, and cans of soda cold from the fridge available to sate Aaron’s sweet tooth.

Aside from exclamations of joy and surprise, the only sound that could be heard was that of silver cutlery on pottery plates as each helped themselves to the bounty of food, having seconds and even thirds. Until at last, even Jordan rested back from the table, his appetite finally fulfilled. He patted his stomach and grinned lazily at Theo. “That was an epic meal!”

“Glad you liked it!” Theo pulled himself upwards slowly. “Uh, can you help me clear away and we’ll continue with the other courses.”

“Other…courses?” Aaron replied slowly after sharing a confused look with Jordan.

“Oh, yes,” Theo smiled. “First, we’ll have a palette cleansing sorbet made from my own strawberries I grew in the summer. And then we’ll have dessert, of course.”

“Of course.” Jordan muttered, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t have eaten so much if I knew there was more coming…”

“Here you go.” Theo brought down a plate of shot glasses, each one filled with dark red crushed ice. “It’ll help, trust me.”

“Mmmh, man, that smells just like summer!” Aaron sighed happily, sniffing the glass. He picked up a tiny spoon above half the size of his pinkie finger and glanced at Theo. “I assume this is the correct spoon for eating the sorbet?”

“Yup, of course you could also do what Jordan just did and down the whole thing in one shot.”

“Ack!” Jordan gagged and his cheeks bloomed with color as his eyes burned for a few seconds, steam rushing out of his nostrils. He gagged and looked at their staring faces, “I would not recommend doing that, gah!”

“Yeah, they’re meant to be savored.”

“Ugh, why were they in shot glasses then?!”

“Because you only need a little!” Theo sighed at him as Rascal wandered over from his nap to see what the fuss was about. He finished his sorbet and stood up again. “Let the me get the pavlova before you decide to snort that too.”

“Woah,” Jordan gasped as Theo came back to the table, balancing a magnificent pavlova with one hand, the crisp, cracked surface adorned with raspberries and wild blackberries picked in the Fall, upon a bed of whipped cream. “That’s majestic!”

“Best Christmas dinner-no, make that the best meal I’ve ever had!” Jordan declared twenty minutes later as they all sagged on the couch, passing around a plate of mints.

“That was a legendary meal, Theo.” Aaron said, sitting next to him. He smiled lazily and leaned his head back against the leather of the sofa. “And an incredible day, I don’t think I’ve felt this relaxed in months.”

“Glad to hear it, guys.” Theo replied softly, fighting the drowsiness caused by good food and a warm fire. Rascal was already snoring on the rug in front of the hearth, his head resting on the flagstones. “In an hour or so, we might play that quiz game you got me, Jordan. But I wouldn’t say no to a snooze right about now.”

“Great Christmas, Theo, thanks for having us.”

“My pleasure, I love having you both here.” 

The storm continued to swirl around Platinum Peak, snow carried on the wind down towards the cabins built to withstand the elements. As Theo drifted off into a peaceful slumber, a sense of content happiness flowed through him for there were still days ahead that he would spend with his favorite people in the whole wide world.


End file.
